Nov. 6, 2007
Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
Leading by just one at halftime, the USA National team outscored Baylor, 48-23 in the second half to defeat the Lady Bears 82-56 in Baylor's final tune-up of the exhibition season Tuesday at the Ferrell Center in Waco.
"I learned that I have some players that can play," head coach Kim Mulkey said. "It was just a matter of time before (Team USA) quit playing with you and started nailing some shots, and they did."
USA began the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 43-33 lead and continued to stretch it from there. After committing just two turnovers in the first half, Baylor had 10 in the second stanza as USA pulled away to win by its final margin of 26.
Jessica Morrow led the way for Baylor with 17 points, while Angela Tisdale chipped in 14 points and Rachel Allison grabbed 12 boards.
Team USA was led by five players in double figures, including Diana Taurasi's game-high 21 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Sue Bird finished with 14 points, Seimone Augustus and Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 12, while Lisa Leslie finished with 10 points and 11 boards.
Team USA jumped out to a 14-3 lead with 14:18 to go in the first half, but the Lady Bears clawed back and took its first lead (23-22) of the game on a Tisdale jumper at the 4:56 mark. A 3-pointer by Tisdale stretched the Baylor lead to five (29-24), but a 10-1 run by USA gave the National Team the lead right back. Trailing by four with just seconds remaining in the half, Tisdale buried her second three of the half to give USA just a one point lead heading into the break, 34-33.
Team USA out-rebounded Baylor 56-38 and was a force inside, collecting 11 blocks.
USA shot 91 percent (20-of-22) from the free throw line, while the Lady Bears shot just 52 percent (12-of-23) from the charity stripe.
Baylor will open the regular season at home as it hosts the Basketball Travelers Tip-Off Tournament at the Ferrell Center. The first game of the tournament begins at 5:30 p.m. and is followed by Baylor's season-opener at 7:30 p.m.
